(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Liquid crystal displays (LCDs), are one of the most widely used flat panel displays. An LCD includes two panels having electric field generating electrodes such as e.g., pixel electrodes and a common electrode, and a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween. The liquid crystal display displays an image by applying a voltage to the electric field generating electrodes, which in turn generate an electric field in the liquid crystal layer. The electric field generated in the liquid crystal layer in turn determines the alignment of liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer to control polarization of incident light.
One known liquid crystal display, is the liquid crystal display with a vertical alignment modein which the liquid crystal molecules are arranged such that major axes of the liquid crystal molecules are perpendicular to the upper and lower panels in a state in which no electric field is generated. The vertical alignment mode liquid crystal display provides a high contrast ratio and a wide reference viewing angle.
Conventional methods of embodying a wide viewing angle in the liquid crystal display with a vertical alignment mode, include methods of forming cut portions in the electric field generating electrodes, and methods of forming protrusions on the electric field generating electrodes. Cut portions and protrusions are used in conjunction with the vertical alignment mode type liquid crystal displays because the direction in which the liquid crystal molecules are tilted can be determined by the use of these cut portions and protrusions, and thus the reference viewing angle can be widened by arranging the cut portions and the protrusions to distribute the tilt direction of the liquid crystal molecules.
However, with the conventional method of forming the cut portions, a particular mask is required for patterning a common electrode. Additionally, an overcoat layer should be formed on a color filter to prevent pigments of the color filter from leaking and contaminating the liquid crystal layer through the cut portions of the common electrode.
In addition, the liquid crystal display with a vertical alignment mode having the protrusions or the cut portions has a slow response speed. This is partially because the cut portions or the protrusions strongly regulate the liquid crystal molecules close thereto, but weakly regulate the liquid crystal molecules apart therefrom.
Thus, there is a need for a liquid crystal display which has both a wide reference viewing angle as well an improved response speed for its liquid crystal molecules in comparison to conventional liquid crystal displays.